MCE Participates in Egypt's Local Conference of Youth on Climate Change
Mohamed Mandour
The Muslim Council of Elders participated in the Local Conference of Youth on Climate Change (LCOY Egypt 2025), organized by the Mediterranean Youth Foundation and hosted at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
The event drew active participation from numerous institutions, as well as official, academic, and religious figures.
In a recorded address broadcast during the opening session of the conference, His Excellency Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, emphasized that climate change is a fundamental and existential issue that is closely linked to achieving social justice.
He noted that it is also a humanitarian concern that threatens humanity and the shared planet we all inhabit. He explained that the Muslim Council of Elders has embraced this cause on multiple fronts, including its participation in several United Nations Climate Change Conferences, most recently COP28 in Dubai and COP29 in Azerbaijan. At these conferences, the Council launched a landmark initiative—the Faith Pavilion—which aimed to strengthen the role of religious leaders and figures in addressing the climate challenge.
Judge Abdelsalam further noted that the Council also organized the Global Summit of Religious Leaders for Climate, which resulted in the issuance of the document titled The Call of Conscience: The Abu Dhabi Joint Declaration on Climate." This statement was signed by 30 of the world's most prominent religious leaders, including His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and the late Pope Francis, former Pontiff of the Catholic Church.
He also highlighted that, in recognition of the importance of youth engagement, the Council organized a climate-themed youth competition that attracted more than 50 participants from 11 countries around the world, aimed at involving youth in this global challenge.
The Secretary-General commended the LCOY Egypt 2025 initiative, particularly as it was launched by Egyptian civil society. He expressed his confidence that such efforts would contribute positively to empowering youth to play a greater role in confronting climate change.
He reaffirmed the Muslim Council of Elders' support for the initiative, stemming from its firm belief in the vital role of youth in addressing contemporary challenges and in promoting peace, coexistence, and human fraternity.
It is worth noting that LCOY Egypt 2025 is being organized for the first time under the leadership of Egyptian civil society, across 11 governorates from May to November 2025, and concurrently in 110 countries around the world.
The conference will culminate in a policy paper, which will be submitted annually in November to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Recorded remarks at the opening session were delivered by Ambassador Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration; Dr. Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation; Dr. Mahmoud Seddiq, Vice President of Al-Azhar University; Dr. Heba Labib, Vice President of Nile University for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; and Dr. Ne'ma Sa'eed, Representative of the World Health Organization in Egypt.
The opening session also featured in-person participation from a large number of prominent figures from official, academic, religious, and youth leaders.
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